Aether Nexus: Curse of Love & Hatred

In a dimly lit corridor of an island-bound fortress, a calm, yet stern, voice reverberated off the frigid stone walls. The very same walls that were lined with the mangled corpses of multiple cloaked guards. "Care to explain yourselves, Captain Bacho and Munia?"

The first of the mentioned pair was a tall and lean man named Bacho. His straight, blueish green hair and slightly tanned skin were the only features not obscured by his black cloak, of which hid his trembling well. Cowering in fear behind Bacho was Munia, a short woman with long, amber hair. Her fear, however, was on full display.

Both fidgeted anxiously as they stared into the dark abyss where the voice originated. Attempting to explain, they managed only fragmented, nervous stutters. Stutters that were silenced by advancing footsteps.

“Don't make me ask you again. How did you and your personnel..." The stern voice's owner said as they stepped into view. "Let. Her. Escape.” The dim light from the torches only revealed their gold-lined black cloak and gold amulet. Bacho could almost hear the screaming of the damned from within the black crystal embedded in the center.

Munia desperately pleaded her alibi. “P-Please understand Director Tehew, w-w-we did everything up to standard to contain her, but s-she did something to the two guards on rotation! When someone else came to check on them, their bodies were covered head-to-toe with bite marks! N-Not only that, but right beside their bodies and all over her room were an abundance of dead ra—!”

“So you're telling me she commanded rats to attack the guards?” Tehew's voice condescendingly expressed, cutting off Munia.

“I–I… I…” Munia could only stutter, her amber eyes filled to the brim with tears and pale face turning sickly blue, as she knew her fate if she answered wrong. The air thickened with tension as each advancing step echoed through the silent dungeon.

“How about your answer, Bacho?”

Gulping what felt like a gallon of saliva, Bacho dropped to one knee and gave his statement. “Ahem… Sir Tehew… M-Munia speaks the truth. I was there when their screams were heard. We rushed down into the dungeons as fast as we could, but by the time we got to them, they were being swarmed and mauled by cadaverous rats. For—” Bacho gulped again, “For how she escaped… We found a hole leading to the outside. It’s my belief she somehow controlled the rats to dig an escape route. Most likely the works of an awakened Soulful or Cursed Technique… I s-swear, that is the entire truth…”

Tehew stopped in his tracks. “Do you two even know who she is directly descended from?”

Bacho attempted to answer, but all that emerged were faltering breaths, as he knew the answer would only confirm how much they screwed up. Eventually, Munia managed to stammer out the answer. “G-Giona Tamaki, s-sir…”

“Giona Tamaki, not only the first witch, but the most formidable of them all in Eranovum's history. Her blood may run through every witch that came after her, but that girl’s bloodline was the purest we’ve ever encountered. Yet, you let her get away…” Tehew's sneer deepened. His black hooded cloak seemingly lifted by an enigmatic aura emanating from every surface of his body, as if his rage was taking on a tangible form.

Bacho immediately jolted up straight in fear, allowing Munia to hide behind him again. “D-D-Director Tehew! Bacho and I will go and find her, I swear! Whatever it takes! I beg... Please give us the chance to prove ourselves!”

Considering his options, Tehew sighed, the aura he emitted vanishing in an instant. “Alright… I’ll give you this one chance to correct this mistake. Though, please don't confuse it for the the goodness in my heart. It's only because I was able to make an intriguing discovery thanks to the experiments with her.” Looking up with the biggest smile on his face, Tehew continued. “If I hadn’t, you two would have already been dog food for my friends.”

Dropping to her knees, Munia sat on her hands coughing and gasping for air. The consequences of holding her breath for the past few minutes finally caught up with her. “T... T-Thank you, Director! This place is in the middle of Aseria Ocean, s-she couldn’t have gotten far...” Munia said through ragged breaths.

Bacho himself sighed in relief as he realized both he and Munia avoided certain demise.

Pleased with their fear-induced response and submissive loyalty, Tehew smirked and turned his back, walking deeper into the darkness of the corridor.

Lifting a trembling Munia to her feet, Bacho hurriedly heaved her towards the corridor’s exit. Each mutilated corpse they stepped over reminding them of their grim fate should they fail.

“Oh, you two, one more thing…”

Bacho and Munia froze yet again in their steps. They didn't even need to turn around to know the exact image behind them, the murderous intent they felt alone painted a vivid picture. Tehew was slightly turned to his left, his left eye gleaming a blood lusted red. Soon after, numerous shadowy figures of various shapes, sizes, and weapons appeared behind him, desperately awaiting for the command to rip and tear.

“Don't dare come back here until you've found her—Do I make myself clear?” Tehew threateningly asserted. With a snap of his fingers, the shadowy figures behind him all roared and launched themselves down the hallway.

Without hesitation, Bacho scooped up Munia and ran as fast as he could. His eyes reflected nothing but absolute fear. Fear that was justified from the sounds of gnashing teeth, breaking bones, and tearing flesh behind him.

-

"...What the?"

At a river bank stood a boy, later known as Dama, and his two animal companions, filled with stuffing. In front of them was a sight the boy never would have imagined coming across amongst his numerous hikes down the path from his cabin. A petite girl, draped in a drenched, drab green cloth, and who would later be known as Giona, lying motionless on the rocky shore.

Kneeling down beside her, Dama hesitated before making his first move, "I… I don't know what to do… L-let me just make sure she's not an Enohay villa-!" Brushing the long and disheveled blonde hair out the way, her marred face came into view, shocking the boy to his core.

"Oh… Oh my-!" His voice came out hoarse, laddened with fear, "He-Her face, it's swollen! So many small bruises, she’s in very bad shape… Who could have done this to her!?"

Now in panic mode, Dama examined her up and down, noticing that even her legs had numerous scrapes and dried blood running down her thighs. Wanting to see the full extent of her damage, he lifted her cloak, only to be met with no other clothing protecting her bare body. Taking a split second to register what he had just done, Dama freaked out for only a moment, as the utter shock of what he saw quickly overtook his embarrassment.

Her entire body was dotted with untreated bruises of all sizes, her exposed ribcage was indicative of malnourishment, and she had one very peculiar, but unknown, mark on her left collarbone. It was obvious to him all of these conditions were not natural, they were all man-made.

As he stared at the poor girl's current state, his face got redder, not out of embarrassment, but out of a boiling anger. So many thoughts and questions raced through Dama's head, he simply couldn't fathom why someone would do such a thing.

Finally snapping out of his shellshock, Dama tried to get some answers, "Hello, miss!? Are you okay!? Who did this to you!?"

The girl remained unresponsive to his calls.

"Oh no… She's breathing at least, but it's faint! I have to get her some aid immediately, but Enohay Village is still a long way down and into the valley. There's no telling how long she has left, or if the ones who did this to her are currently nearby…"

Taking a moment to weigh his options, the determined boy turned to and directed his two stuffed companions, "Mumu! Nina! Help me carry her back to the cabin!"

-

Next: (Chapter 3) Dama the Tutor?